Chelsea goalkeeper Emi Martinez is set to undergo jaw surgery after sustaining a head injury in a clash with Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite. Martinez was stretchered off the pitch and taken to hospital, where assessments on his head, back, and neck were conducted. He is expected to miss at least two weeks of football while following FA concussion protocols.
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Goalkeeper Emi Martinez faces a jaw operation after contact with Jarrad Branthwaite left him injured during Chelsea's victory against Everton. A head-to-head collision with Branthwaite caused the injury, the contact arising as the Everton defender moved to meet an incoming cross and made contact with the goalkeeper.
Play came to a standstill for over ten minutes as Martinez received on-pitch medical attention, leaving both players unable to continue. Teammates moved quickly to call for assistance after the incident, and medical personnel provided extended care to Martinez on the pitch. Lifted from the field on a stretcher, Martinez showed signs of movement throughout, his hands resting on either side of his head as he was taken away.
After being taken off the pitch with a head injury, Martinez was transferred to hospital, where medical staff carried out a series of assessments. According to a report from journalist Gastón Edúl, checks performed on Martinez's head, back, and neck at the hospital returned no findings of concern. A jaw injury has left him under medical supervision, with doctors indicating that an operation will be needed.
Chelsea head coach Alonso told reporters that Martinez had been alert and aware when he left the ground, adding that the injury appeared to be a concussion, though fuller details remained unclear to him given that he had reviewed only a single clip of the incident and further information would emerge in time. Martinez departed the stadium while conscious and was subsequently admitted to hospital for precautionary assessment.
Martinez is working through concussion protocols and is not expected to return to action for a minimum of two weeks. Three upcoming matches will see the goalkeeper unavailable, with the Premier League visit from Tottenham Hotspur and the Carabao Cup meeting with Liverpool both confirmed absences, and the 31 October clash against Manchester United carrying a question mark over his participation.
The Football Association (FA) has put in place new head-injury guidelines covering how such cases are managed on and off the pitch. Any athlete identified as having sustained a concussion undergoes a 24-hour monitoring period before working through a structured six-stage pathway designed to gradually restore full playing activity. The protocol calls for a 48-hour window of reduced physical and mental demands — covering work tasks and screen use — followed by a phased return to normal activity, with football training permitted provided any pre-existing symptoms do not worsen beyond a mild degree and no new ones appear.
After the final whistle, Neto — whose goal had settled the match in Chelsea's favour — offered warm words about Martinez, described as a tribute to the goalkeeper.